About 150 kids smiled wide and ran so hard from court to court and basket to basket it seemed they could fly.

But then, flying is perfectly acceptable at Birdman’s basketball camp, which is taking place this week in Denver.

Nuggets big man Chris Andersen played and talked with the kids Tuesday. He was every bit the player — and the man — with whom fans fell head over heels last season.

“By far this has been the best camp for my kid,” said Shannon Scott, parent of 8-year-old Joey, who this summer has been to an Air Force camp, as well as Carmelo Anthony’s camp. “I’m totally impressed. He’s here every day. He’s just an amazing person. For his first camp, he’s fantastic.”

The camp was made possible in large part by Andersen re-signing with the Nuggets in July for a five-year contract worth up to $26 million.

Andersen was the Nuggets’ top-priority free agent. As a reserve center, he was the NBA’s second-leading shot blocker at 2.46 per game.

“I was hoping and praying that they signed me back,” Andersen said. “I knew they were going to do the right thing. . . . I tried not to worry about it too much. I went up and took some time for myself.”

Andersen spent time at Yellowstone National Park with his fiancee, Brandy Newman, and some high school friends. He sports a thickening beard now, and insists he’s not going to shave it until he gets married next June.

“I’m the grizzly bird,” he quipped.

He says his body is healed and that he feels good. He has even taken up Pilates as a means of getting stronger.

His expectations for the Nuggets have risen as well, even with other teams in the Western Conference improving through free agency.

“They’ve improved, but the West has always been tough,” Andersen said. “It’s not a cakewalk, that’s for sure. We have tough teams to face, but what does it matter? Now that we’ve been to the Western Conference finals, we know what it takes, we know how hard we have to play to get there. And we can do it. Everybody knows how great we are now.

“We lost Linas Kleiza, we lost Dahntay Jones, but it just means other guys are going to have to step up. I know J.R. (Smith) is going to play his role as good as anybody can. If he gets that starting spot that’s going to be even deadlier for us.”

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